1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to information equipment apparatus that identifies operators using human body communication.
2. Prior Art
The number of persons that can be authenticated at one time is only one person in the general purpose individual person authentication (user authentication) in image forming apparatuses, etc., for example, in password authentication or card authentication, or biometric information authentication such as fingerprint, veins, etc. Normally, the control operations are made so that the single operation section provided in the apparatus body is released to the authenticated user and various types of operations are received.
In detailed terms, when the image forming apparatus receives a prescribed authentication operation (login operation) and authenticates the user, the use of the apparatus is permitted, the authenticated state (the login state) is maintained, and control operations are made assuming that the different successive operations received by the operation section are being made by that authenticated user. Change of the user, etc., is being recognized by the authentication releasing operation (the logoff operation) of the current user and the authentication operation by the next user thereafter, or by the authentication switching operation (login switching operation) by pressing a prescribed button, etc. Further, in order to ensure security in cases such as when the user goes away from the apparatus without carrying out the authentication releasing operation, etc., even the function of automatically releasing the authentication state when a prescribed interval of time has elapsed in the no operation condition (the automatic logoff function), etc., is also very common.
In the individual person authentication and print management (print control) in the image forming apparatus, various technologies have been proposed related to security, operability, manageability, etc.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-77990 (Patent Document 1), a technology has been disclosed wherein fingerprint authentication mechanism is incorporated in the sleep release switch or the power supply switch of the image forming apparatus, by carrying out individual person authentication by fingerprint verification along with the operation of pressing down that specific switch, this technology aims to achieve both security and operability at the time of operating a specific function. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-34582 (Patent Document 2), a technology has been disclosed wherein, by managing using operation section IDs set individually for a plurality of operation sections that are connected wirelessly to the body of the apparatus, print management has been made possible for each operation section.
An image forming apparatus, etc., that is provided with a general purpose individual person authentication function (user authentication function), such as password authentication, card authentication, or biometric information authentication such as fingerprint, veins, etc., generally, when the user is authenticated by a prescribed authentication operation, the use of the apparatus is permitted and the authentication state is maintained, and the control operations are made assuming that the different successive operations received by the operation section are being made by that authenticated user.
In the individual person authentication and data communication in the image forming apparatus, etc., various technologies have been proposed related to security, operability, etc.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-81025 (Patent Document 3), a technology has been disclosed that enhances operability (simplicity of connection) and security (data confidentiality) in data communication using human body communication, in a human body communication system in which the data communication between a data supply source installed in a shop such as a consumable items purchasing apparatus, a driver purchasing apparatus, or an information terminal apparatus installed by a manufacturer, etc., and an image forming apparatus such as an ink jet printer, etc., which becomes the data receiver is carried out via a data transmitter and receiver worn on the body of the user, by carrying out fingerprint verification or vein verification at the time that the user touches the touching part of the apparatus for carrying out data transfer by human body communication between the data transmitter and receiver and the apparatus.
As has been described above, since the conventional individual person identification by card authentication or biometric information authentication recognizes the operations made after authentication as those made by that authenticated user, the number of persons that can be managed at the same time is only one person, and it was cumbersome because it was not possible to switch users unless the authentication state of one user has been released. Further, it is likely that the operations made by another person after authenticating one person are handled as the operations made by the authenticated person, there was margin for improvement in security aspects.
In the technology of Patent Document 1 of adding fingerprint verification mechanism to the switches of specific functions, it is not possible to directly identify the person operating other switches or touch panel. Because of this, it is inevitable that the operations of these operation members are handled as having been made by the user authenticated at the time of operating specific function switches, and eventually, only one authenticated user can be managed at the same time by the apparatus, and it is not possible to allow a plurality of users to use the apparatus simultaneously. Further, if the operations of other operation members are handled as the operations by the user who was authenticated at the time of operation of switches of specific functions, it is likely that the operations made by another person of those operation members are handled as the operations made by the authenticated person, there was also a problem in security aspects.
In the technology of Patent Document 2 which makes it possible to carry out print management of a plurality of operation sections, it is merely managing the operations for each operation section ID, and if we pay attention to the individual operation sections, the number of persons that can be managed at the same time is only one person. Because of this, in units of an operation section, an operation of releasing the authentication or a switching operation, etc., is necessary for switching between users, and not only the switching of users is cumbersome, but also, it is likely that the operations made by another person in the authenticated state are handled as the operations made by the authenticated person, there was also a problem in security aspects.
As has been explained above, in the conventional individual person authentication by image forming apparatus, etc., since the operations received from an operation section in the authenticated state are recognized as the operations made by the authenticated user himself or herself, it is not possible to recognize distinctly the operations by an authenticated user and other operations. For example, even unintentional operations (erroneous operations) caused by some object falling on the operation section or by the edge part of a document touching the operation section, etc., or the operations made by some other person while the authenticated user has temporarily gone away from the apparatus (identity theft operations) are likely to be recognized wrongly as having been made by the authenticated user.
In the technology of Patent Document 1 of adding fingerprint verification mechanism to the switches of specific functions, although it is possible to consider preventing erroneous recognitions such as the above by incorporating fingerprint authentication mechanisms in all the operation members, if the number of operation members becomes large, there are the problems that the mounting layout becomes difficult, and the cost becomes high.
The same is also true even in the case of the technology of Patent Document 3 wherein individual person authentication by fingerprint authentication, etc., has been combined with data communication utilizing human body communication, and for example, even if erroneous recognitions such as the above are prevented by incorporating fingerprint authentication sensor, etc., in all operation members of all operation sections in which a plurality of operation members have been provided, again there are the problems that the mounting layout of operation members and fingerprint authentication sensors becomes difficult, and the cost becomes high.
In these Patent Documents 1 and 3, if an attempt is made to prevent erroneous recognition of operation, in either case, there is the problem that the configuration of the interface with the operator that becomes necessary for identifying the operator becomes complex.
The present invention was made for solving the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information equipment apparatus that, without having to carry out a special operation and change the authentication state of operators between operations, can carry out control operations according to the operator of the received operation.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide an information equipment apparatus wherein it is possible to simplify the configuration of the interface with the operator for identifying the operator and to prevent erroneous recognition of operations.